Arrest Made After ‘Stampede’ During Festival International

Four juveniles were arrested after a "flash mob incident" caused panic on Jefferson Street during Festival International. The incident, which many have described as a stampede, happened just after 9:00 PM on Saturday night. The whole thing was caught on security cameras that were installed to monitor the area of downtown that is the busiest during Festival.

A video that spread quickly on social media appears to show a loud bang in the area of Parc Sans Souci which caused people to run in all directions. Police say the kids tried to create panic and chaos among those attending Festival.

Lafayette Police Chief Toby Aguillard said “Deliberate acts that cause fear and chaos in a crowd are dangerous to the public and costly to our businesses. Know that these criminal acts will be investigated by the Lafayette Police Department with vigor and to the fullest extent. The Lafayette Police Department urges all parents to discourage teens from participation in flash mob disturbances and warn children about the consequences of such actions.”

All four minors were booked in the Juvenile Detention Center and have not yet been identified. Lafayette Police warn parents to step in and discourage their kids from being involved in such flash mobs.